A Good Day
by Paranoid Blue
Summary: Cas in the sun is a sight to behold Dean thinks. He looks so happy and peaceful but wait a minute...What are the shimmering hazy patches behind him?


_Season finale? What season finale? I don't remember any season finale. *Laughs nervously* Nope. Everyone is happy!_

_As you can guess, I needed schmoopy fluff after the latest Supernatural drama and finally finished up this old codger lying around for months. Exam stress may have helped too. Still, Read, Review and Enjoy guys. We REALLY deserve fluff right now._

* * *

Dean sat on the bench, head thrown back basking in the sun. He and Sam had just finished a particularly challenging case with a coven of witches and both were off relaxing in their own ways before moving on. Sam had gone off to a little coffee shop but Dean decided that since it was so nice out, he'd just chill in the Park. His eyes were shut, his world bathed in bright red and gold. Dean felt like he would melt. Here, with the sound of children playing and trees rustling slightly in the breeze he could forget, just for a while, how screwed up the world really was. A breath whispered out from between his lips and spiraled up towards the blue sky. This was perfect. The only thing that could possibly make it better was-

"Hello Dean"

Dean bolted upright, one hand reaching for his gun instinctively while his head turned to the source of the voice. Beside him on the previously unoccupied bench was Castiel looking as stoic as normal. "Dammit Cas!" Dean snapped. "How many times man?"

Cas tilted his head. "I apologise Dean. It was not my intention to startle you"

"It never is" Dean mumbled as he slumped back "Whatever dude just let me back to my nap. It was relaxing"

There was no reply save for a quiet rustle as Cas settled himself better on the old wooden construct. Dean presumed that he was 'watching humanity' or whatever and tuned him out.

Cas was indeed 'watching humanity', one human in particular. His gaze was solely focused on the man beside him taking in the rare sight. Dean Winchester was completely relaxed. He had melted into the bench smiling faintly. Cas was captivated. The sun was at just the right height to shine on his face and it made all his freckles stand out. He knew how many were there, he knew every inch of this man's body, inside and out. He had literally built it up from scratch. It didn't stop him counting the freckles though. Someone had once told him that freckles were angel kisses. He had originally assumed this to be another bit of humanities idiosyncrasies but looking at Dean now, he had to admit that perhaps there was a shred of truth to it. After all, a human as perfect as Dean had to have had some help. Although striking, the Winchester and Campbell genes alone couldn't have pulled it off. It just wasn't possible.

A quick expression flitted across Dean's face too fast for human eyes to see. Cas luckily, was not a human and caught the grin for what it was. This was why Cas could watch the man for so long. His heart was so big that he was always feeling something. There was no end to the expressions. Cas counted 700 one night on his usual bedside vigil.

His wings were itching and Cas suddenly felt the urge to free them and let them bask in the warm sun. He did so hoping that the noise of them unfurling hadn't woken the sleeping human beside him. Dean's breath hitched slightly but he was otherwise undisturbed. Relaxing back, Cas arranged his wings for optimum comfort and resumed staring.

Hours later or possibly minutes, time was hard to judge when you were asleep, Dean surfaced from slumber and had his second small heart attack of the day when he was met with a pair of startlingly blue eyes. He shook his head trying to clear up his remaining grogginess and bit out a "Dammit Cas" more for tradition than anything. God knows he was slowly getting used to it. The head retracted slightly and he saw the sight of a sheepish angel shuffling himself down the bench like a guilty child. Throwing his head back, Dean began to laugh. It just felt right. He was happy. Goddamnit he was never happy but here on this old bench in a park in the middle of nowhere faced with a shamefaced angel he was the happiest he could remember.

Cas was starting to get huffy. Dean had yet to stop laughing at his plight and was practically wheezing as he doubled over. Shaking out his feathers grumpily he began to scowl. Noticing this, Dean began to slowly reign in his laughter until he only emitted the occasional snort which eventually stopped altogether. He let out a deep breath.

"Cas" he said fondly, shaking his head "Don't ever change"

He had said it before, once or twice maybe but he meant it every single time. He still did actually, Cas wouldn't be Cas otherwise. It was hard however, not to laugh at his face because unless faced with an actual problem, Cas's pouts and glares made him look more like a puppy than a celestial warrior. Reaching out, he clapped Cas's shoulder firmly. The start of surprise was kind of expected and wow, wasn't that a seriously sad thing to think. That a guy was so unused to friendly contact that it still took him by surprise. Making a decision, Dean decided to leave his hand there for a bit longer.

Once Dean's laughter was under control and his feathers were beginning to settle back down, Cas had started to relax before an unexpected weight landed on his shoulder. Instantly his survival instincts kicked in and he tensed automatically, wings flaring. He felt momentary embarrassment when he realised that it was just Dean but that faded to surprise and happiness as Dean left his hand there. Despite the fact that it was a warm day, Dean's hand left him feeling soothed somehow. He shook out his wings and noticed the sideways glance Dean shot at him. Odd. Dean had never reacted to his wings before. Granted, he usually had them tucked against his back but surely he must have had them out at some time. Cas racked his memory, apparently he hadn't. Slowly moving one wing he saw the way Dean's eye flickered to it before resuming its previous task of people watching. Hmm.

Dean was enjoying the sun and just watching the people around him walk by. It was a habit he had developed when he was younger. He'd sit there keeping one eye on Sam as he played in the park while the other observed those who passed. He had liked making up stories in his head about who they were, what they were doing and how their lives went. Truthfully, he still did it now but only when Sam wasn't watching. When he was younger all the people he'd imagined to have happy lives with families who loved them but now he was more realistic. He had just spotted someone, in his mind, was an overworked single father, when an odd flicker in the corner of his eye made him go on high alert. Surreptitiously he looked out of the corner of his eye but saw nothing. Allowing his eye to wander back to the path in front he immediately caught another flicker, this one slower. Again, he looked out of the corner of his eye but saw nothing.

Intrigued and wary, Dean began scanning the area with the experienced eye of a hunter looking for anything unusual. He spotted two shifty looking teenagers, harried parents and a small dog making a break for freedom but nothing that would cause the movement he saw. Frowning now and with a tense set to his shoulders, Dean turned and started to tell Cas about what he was seeing. Instead of the defensive reaction he was expecting, Cas was remarkably nonchalant about the whole thing.

"I am serious Dean" he said gravely "I did a scan of the area prior to my landing, nothing was out of the ordinary. Everyone here is exactly as it's supposed to be. I wouldn't permit you to rest here otherwise"

Here he shuffled uncomfortably for a moment before continuing

"I do believe the things you are seeing are my wings" he delivered in a calm, matter of fact voice that had Dean nodding along before he realised what exactly he had just been told.

"Your wings!" Dean spluttered "Dude, I mean I knew you had them, angel of the Lord and whatnot but they've only ever been shadows before. Why can I see them now?"

"It's because I am an angel Dean" Cas answered and seeing that Dean was about to interrupt, hastily continued "I am a multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent and do not possess a form outside of this vessel that you could comprehend in a mere three dimensions. I exist in far more than humans can conceive and my wings are located in another plane. I can on occasion, shrink them enough to fit here but they still remain almost undetectable to the naked eye"

"Yeah" Dean began "But surely they should cast shadows on the ground. They cast them on the barn before"

"And what was occurring at that time Dean?" Cas prompted

"Lightning" Dean replied slowly"You conjoured a storm out of nowhere and a lightning flash lit up your wings"

"Yes" Cas agreed "For some odd reason I have yet to investigate, nature is the only thing that can allow them to be seen. I suspect it may have to do with the nature of my wings and true form but I must confess that I am not completely sure. That I have observed so far, sudden light can get them to cast shadows but normal daylight cannot. The reason you can see them now is simply that the sun is catching off my feathers. If a cloud were to obsure it's rays then you would be unable to see them again"

Dean was silent as he processed all that Cas had just told him. He had always known that Cas had wings, it was just one of those things that you never really questioned until it was brought to your attention. True, Dean had a bit of a habit of forgetting that his best friend was in fact an ancient and powerful being who had probably been around since time began and would be here long after Dean himself had shuffled off of this mortal coil but still, considering the physiology of angel Cas had never really been high on Dean's list of priorities

"So" he began "Theoretically, if you stood out under the sun as it is here, I'd see your wings in their entirety?"

"Perhaps" Cas allowed "But more likely is that you will only see flashes and glimpses of them, perhaps their outline if you are lucky"

Cas watched as Dean rubbed his hands on his knees and shuffled on the bench as though some internal conflict was taking place. Frowning slightly, Cas was tempted to look into Dean's mind to see if he could help but he valued his closest friends privacy too much. Resigned to simply sitting tight until Dean revealed himself, Cas turned his gaze back to Dean's face.

"Can I see them?" Dean asked suddenly "I mean, you don't have to, it's probably a super private angels only party or something, forget I said it actually. Uh, nevermind"

Seeing Cas tilt his head in confusion made guilt clench at Dean's insides. He had to admit that he was curious, it was hard not to be after the whole Multidimensional Wavelength speech Cas just gave, but still, he thought he'd have more control over his response. He had a sudden urge to see the wings. Despite never having given it much thought before, he was insanely interested now. After Cas telling him that he might be able to see an outline of them he had a brief internal war where half of him felt guilty for invading Cas's privacy and the other half didn't give a rats ass. Unfortunately though, the rats ass side won and Dean had asked. What if showing wings was an intensely personal thing for angels? What if he had basically asked if he could see Cas naked?

Thankfully for Dean before his mini freak out could go off the rails and hurtle downwards along his last train of thought Cas spoke;

"I can assure you Dean that no angels party with my wings. They act as normal wings do. What gave you the idea of festivities?"

Dean shook his head "No, Cas it's just a figure of speech, it means that it's something for angels only. No humans allowed kind of thing"

Cas narrowed his eyes as he worked through Dean's statement and probably filing it away somewhere for later perusal. Dean couldn't bring himself to care though, he was waiting for the answer.

Cas opened his mouth, Dean leaned forward.

"I see no reason to object" Cas stated "They are not an Angel Only Party as you said. They are simply wings"

Cas got up off the bench with Dean's eyes eagerly to him. Personally, he didn't see the appeal in his wings, they were average really. Nothing special. He was fond of the blue highlights that occasionally shimmered in them but aside from that they were simply wings. They let him fly when he needed, they kept him warm and conveyed emotions, standard wing behavior really. He walked out from under the spotted shade provided by the tree and out into the bright sunlight, then he turned to face Dean. Rolling his shoulders as he did so, Cas slowly extended his wings closing his eyes as he did so. They were stiff despite having a lot of room to move in the other dimension and letting them spread out unknotting kinks and stretching muscles was very satisfying indeed.

When Cas had agreed to letting him see his wings, Dean had entered a slight state of disbelief. He honestly didn't think it would be so easy but nevertheless, out there was Cas willing to bare his wings for Dean's curiosity. Dean kept his eyes glued to his back already taking the individual shimmers that were already manifesting. Cas turned and faced Dean then rolled his shoulders and mother of god, Dean watched open mouthed as two sunbeams bent around him and kept growing. Out and out they spread and wow. They freaking massive. Looking at the very tips Dean estimated maybe 17 feet at least. Dean objectively knew that Cas was an angel but knowing and seeing proof were two entirely different things altogether.

Dean's eyes flicked around the place rapidly trying to take in as much as he could. Cas was right, he couldn't see wings per say but every now and then, a ray of light would try to pass through the space but bend as it hit the feathery obstruction and skitter across the surface. As it did so they created a momentary glint in the air as a section of feathers caught the light. If asked to describe what exactly was happening later on, Dean wouldn't be able to reply. It was like there was a mirage or a freaking huge heat haze shimmering in the air but only sometimes and even then, it wasn't as solid as a heat haze. The wings were ever shifting, only gaining definition briefly as the sun hit it. Dean was in awe.

Cas could feel Dean's admiration from where he was standing and felt something warm. Racking his brain, he tried to pinpoint the feeling and got as far as 'flattered' before Dean's deep voice distracted him.

"Jesus Cas, they're beautiful" Dean said and then because he was Dean Winchester "If you ever tell Sammy I said that I'll ward the Impala against you"

Cas lazily opened one eye scrutinising Dean with an intense stare. He could tell Dean was semi-serious about the Impala but couldn't really bring himself to care. He was delightfully relaxed in a way that he couldn't remember ever being before. Humanity brought almost as many upsides as it did downsides. Here, with his wings fully extended soaking up the sun and feeling the admiration from his best friend, he could almost forget what was happening out in the world. For a brief moment he felt, he felt. Again Cas had to reach into his memory banks to locate the right emotion and finally placed it as contentment. He was content. Cas hummed, that had a nice ring to it.

Dean heard Cas hum and his eyes flickered from the wings to observe the rest of him. He took in the way the sun played softly across Cas's ever present trench coat and showed up the brown highlights in his hair. Standing there with a slight smile on his face and with his eyes closed, Cas looked more peaceful than Dean had ever seen before. He imagined that Cas had felt something like this back in heaven when it was less screwed up, if it had ever been less screwed up. It was an odd contrast Dean thought. At the moment, Cas looked almost human which was completely at odds with the massive occasionally glimmering blurs behind him. It was a sight so pure that Dean would treasure it for dark nights when the weight on his shoulders was particularly heavy.

An errant cloud passed over the sun just then causing the wings to disappear from view again and Cas opened his eyes. Still smiling, he wandered back to the bench and flopped down beside Dean.

"I like the sun" Cas decided sounding very relaxed "I always thought it was nothing special, just a ball of constantly combusting gas like the billions of others out there but it's really quite pleasant"

He leaned back and closed his eyes again enjoying the sounds of humanity around him. How anyone could dislike humans was beyond him. Sure they had bad points, they were selfish, they killed often and hated freely but they also had many good ones. They were curious, always seeking the secrets of the universe and their capacity for love, for faith and for hope even after they had been hurt never ceased to surprise him. He could see why Anna chose to fall and it scared him slightly. What if he one day did that, willingly cut himself off from heaven and have a life on earth. Live maybe fifty or sixty years before succumbing to death?

Cas was jerked out of his slightly morbid thoughts by a mumble from Dean. He opened his eyes and turned his head curiously. Dean looked at the ground briefly before meeting his eyes.

"Thanks Cas" he said quietly. "Your wings, well, they were awesome man, and I mean awesome in the literal sense here"

Cas shook out his wings proudly and Dean laughed at the rustle.

"I take it that wasn't the tree then?" he asked jokingly

Cas ducked his head slightly embarrassed and almost flinched when Dean let his hand fall on his shoulder.

"It's cool Cas, don't sweat it. It's kinda neat really"

The sun came out again and Dean let his head fall back smirking as he heard the tell-tale rustle of semi invisible wings as their owner made the most of the sunlight. Soaking up the sounds of normalcy he fell into a doze again relishing the rare peace.

Cas was still smiling over Dean's comment when the sun came out again. He noticed Dean resume the position he was in before Cas's arrival obviously planning to resume his nap. Carefully, Cas rearranged his wings so the sun would hit them then resumed watching humanity. A slight pressure on his shoulder had him tensing for a fight but a sideways glance at Dean had him relaxing again almost immediately. Dean's head had fallen onto Cas and he was snoring slightly. Cas was filled with a sense of pride that Dean Winchester of all people had elected him a suitable person to trust. Almost on instinct his left wing reacted to Dean and curved around him protectively. Dean shifted lightly and his worry lines faded slightly. Smiling softly, Cas turned his head and closed his eyes enjoying the peace.

If Cas did choose to fall and went to heaven when he was dead, he was pretty damn sure that this would be his.

* * *

Sam finished up his coffee and closed his laptop stretching leisurely as he did so. It was rare to get a chance to use the laptop for something other than research and he savoured it whenever he could. He checked his phone for a text from Dean but saw none. Dean was a big boy though and Sam shrugged. He was pretty sure that Dean could handle himself.

Looking up at the sky and back to his watch, Sam decided that it was too nice of a day to go back to the motel just yet. It was a small town and options were limited but a walk in the park sounded nice. Slinging his bag over his shoulder Sam set off

It was a nice park he mused. A tad overgrown but he liked it that way, it made it feel more natural somehow. Strolling along the path passing in and out of the shade of trees felt normal. It was a shame that he and Dean were on the road so much really. More days like this would be highly appreciated but that was Hunting for you.

Sam sighed bitterly. You couldn't escape it. No matter how far you ran or how well you hid, something would always turn up and drag you back. Sam was resigned now but saw no point in stewing. He'd make the best of a bad situation and get on with it. He didn't have to be thrilled, he just had to deal with it.

He was just passing by a bench just under the shade of a tree but with enough sun that it hit both of its inhabitants. At first, he didn't pay it any attention but as his eyes caught up with his brain, he hastily backtracked and sniggered There, on the bench, was his big bad brother asleep on a soldier of God and probably drooling going by the dark stain on the shoulder of Cas's coat. Cas was no better looking blissed out and smiling as his head rested on Dean's.

Acting quickly, Sam pulled out his phone and took several pictures before moving on. He briefly considered waking them but decided against it. Dean hadn't slept properly in far too long and Cas was actually smiling.

Sam walked a way, a broad smile of his own fixed firmly on his face. Today was a good day.

* * *

_I do not own Supernatural no matter how much I'd love to bring all the characters home and shelter them from the world but there we are. Thanks for reading!_


End file.
